Sunderland players celebrate after eliminating Manchester United following a tense shoot-out in the League Cup semi-finals.Manchester City and Sunderland will go in search of silverware when they face each other in the League Cup final at Wembley Stadium, tomorrow.
The Citizens will be hell-bent to avoid another heartache after last season’s shock upset to Wigan Athletic in the FA Cup final.
The League Cup showdown pits together two South American managers as Chile’s Manuel Pellegrini will lead City against a Black Cats’ side managed by Gustavo Poyet, of Uruguay.
This will be the second meeting between the two teams this season. In November, Sunderland beat City 1-0 in a Premier League clash at the Stadium of Light.
Poyet was appointed as Sunderland manager on October 8, 2013, replacing the sacked Paolo di Canio.
As a player, Poyet donned the colours of Grenoble, River Plate, Real Zaragoza, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur. He also earned 26 caps for Uruguay.
During his playing career, Poyet won various honours including the FA Cup, UEFA Cup and the UEFA Super Cup with Chelsea, the Spanish Copa del Rey and UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup with Real Zaragoza and the Copa America with Uruguay.
Poyet started his managerial career at Swindon Town before stints at Leeds United and Tottenham.
He took over at Brighton in 2009. Last season, the Seagulls were beaten in the Championship semi-final play-offs and Poyet was consequently released.
As a player, Pellegrini was a defender for Universidad de Chile for 13 years and was capped on 28 occasions by his country.
Before filling the managerial vacancy at City last summer, Pellegrini coached at San Lorenzo, River Plate, Villarreal, Real Madrid and Malaga, among others.
City’s failure last season to land a major honour has pushed Pellegrini and his players to make extra efforts this time round.
Their bid has been hampered by the loss of striker Sergio Aguero due to injury and that has been mirrored in the team’s poor showings of late.
Without the plucky Argentine, City struggled for results.
They are still in contention for the Premier League title but their bid to claim the big prize in Europe is in doubt after a 0-2 upset to Barcelona at home.
Sunderland booked their place in the League Cup final at the expense of Man. United following a thrilling penalty shoot-out victory at Old Trafford.
The Black Cats had taken a 2-1 lead into the second leg but United pulled even thanks to Javier Hernandez’s last-gasp strike.
In the shoot-out, Sunderland netted two penalties to United’s one as Poyet hailed the performance of goalkeeper Vito Mannone who played a blinder in the return leg.
City and Sunderland have met only once in previous League Cup commitments.
In October, 1979 they drew one-all but the Citizens beat Sunderland 1-0 in the replay at home in the earlier rounds of the competition.
Way to Wembley
Manchester City
3rd round: Home vs Wigan 5-0.
4th round: Away vs Newcastle 2-0.
QF: Away vs Leicester 3-1.
SF: Home vs West Ham 6-0.
SF: Away vs West Ham 3-0.
Sunderland
2nd round: Home vs MK Dons 4-2.
3rd round: Home vs Peterboro 2-0.
4th round: Home vs S’hampton 2-1.
QF: Home vs Chelsea 2-1 aet.
SF: Home vs Man. United 2-1.
SF: Away vs Man. United 1-2
(Sunderland won 2-1 pens).
Fixtures and forecast
League Cup Final
Man. City-Sunderland (15:00) - 1 (Wembley Stadium, tomorrow)
Premier League
Everton-West Ham - 1
Fulham-Chelsea - 2
Hull City-Newcastle - 1
Southampton-Liverpool (17:30) - 2
Stoke City-Arsenal - 2
Tomorrow:
Aston Villa-Norwich (17:30) - X
Swansea-Crystal Palace (17:30) - 1
Tottenham-Cardiff (17:30) - 1
Standings: Chelsea 60; Arsenal 59; Man. City 57; Liverpool 56; Tottenham 50; Man. United, Everton 45; Newcastle 40; Southampton 39; West Ham 31; Hull 30; Swansea, Aston Villa, Norwich 28; Stoke 27; C. Palace 26; West Brom 25; Sunderland 24; Cardiff 22; Fulham 21.
The Championship
Bolton-Blackburn - X
Bournemouth-Doncaster - 1
Burnley-Derby - 1
Huddersfield-Barnsley - 1
Ipswich-Birmingham - 1
Leicester-Charlton - 1
Millwall-Brighton - 2
Nottm Forest-Wigan - X
QPR-Leeds (13:15) - 1
Reading-Yeovil - 1
Sheff. Wed.-Middlesbrough - X
Watford-Blackpool - 1
League One
Bradford-Stevenage - 1
Bristol City-Gillingham - 1
Carlisle-Brentford - 2
Crawley-Peterborough - X
Crewe-Swindon - X
L. Orient-Colchester - 1
MK Dons-Sheff. United - 1
Preston-Walsall - 1
Rotherham-Notts County - 1
Tranmere-Oldham - X
Wolves-Port Vale - 1
Tomorrow:
Coventry-Shrewsbury X
League Two
Burton-Accrington - 1
Cheltenham-Bury - 1
Dagenham-Mansfield - 1
Fleetwood-AFC Wimbledon - 1
Hartlepool-Torquay - 1
Newport-Scunthorpe - X
N’hampton-Bristol Rovers - 1
Plymouth-Morecambe - 1
Rochdale-Oxford - 1
Southend-Wycombe - 1
York-Exeter - 1
Monday:
Chesterfield-P’smouth (20:45) - X
Hot Four
Everton, Leicester City, QPR and Reading.